Services & ResourcesWolfram ForumsMathGroup Archive

[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Don't want to calculate scalar product

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg19708] Don't want to calculate scalar product
• From: "Toshiyuki (Toshi) Meshii" <meshii at mech.fukui-u.ac.jp>
• Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 16:36:10 -0400
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Hi,

I understand that one of the unique point of Mathematica is that you don't
have to be conscious about whether a vector is a "row" or a "column" vector.

However, I think there is a case in which you have to specify whether you
want Mathematica to recognize a vector as a row vector or a column vector.
Let me explain my case.

a={1,2,3}; b={4,5,6}

I want to define "a" as a column vector (3x1 matrix) and "b" as a row vector
(1x3 matrix).

I expect the product
 a.b
as a 3x3 matrix, but the answer Mathematica gives is a scalar product "32".

Please give me an advice to get the 3x3 matrix as a product.

-Toshi

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Don't want to calculate scalar product
    • From: Jean-Marie Thomas <jmt@agat.net>